VBCI

An 8x8 wheeled infantry fighting vehicle developed by Nexter (now KNDS France) and Renault Trucks Defense to replace the French Army's tracked AMX-10P. It is air-transportable inside an A400M and forms the backbone of French mechanized infantry regiments.

In service since 2008 · 2 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

100

km/h

750

km range

mm gun

32,000

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

French export-licensed

CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.

Channel: DGA / direct commercial

Fielded & proven

Limited · 2 operators

In service since 2008. Status: active · ~630 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.: 100 km/h

Stronger than 69% of IFVs
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 750 km

Stronger than 79% of IFVs

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: 25 mm autocannon
Secondary armament Additional weapons: coaxial MG, remote weapon station, gun pods.: 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns
Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.: 25 mm

Protection

Armor, countermeasures and survivability.

Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.: Modular armor rated against 14.5 mm rounds
Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers.: Galix grenade launching system
NBC protection Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments.: Yes

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 7.6 m
Width Overall width — matters for rail/road transport of vehicles.: 2.98 m
Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.: 3 m
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.: 32,000 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.: 2
Troop capacity Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.: 9

Stronger than 79% of IFVs

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Engine Powerplant model and type.: Volvo D12 turbo diesel
Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.: 550 hp

Stronger than 62% of IFVs
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…: Diesel

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 630

Stronger than 34% of IFVs
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 2

Stronger than 49% of IFVs

Specifications compiled from public KNDS and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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